Car eating squirrel

MARTIN COUNTY, FL (WFLX) - A Martin County family living in fear that they were being targeted by vandals discovered the culprit has quite an appetite.

On Sunday morning, Nora Ziegler spotted something on her SUV. It was a 6-inch hole that looked cut out above her wheel well. She called deputies. "They asked me if I had any enemies. I said, 'No,'" said Ziegler.

Later that day, a second problem. She found another hole, slightly larger above the rear left wheel. "We called the police twice, and the police came out and said they had never seen anything like that before," said Taylor Ziegler, Nora's daughter.

There were two gouges above the wheels. The family was puzzled and nervous. With five cars outside, why was the SUV the only one with any damage? "The police told me someone is coming after me," said Nora.

Finally, as the sun was setting, an answer as Nora was taking out the trash. She quickly grabbed her smartphone and started shooting video. Turns out, a squirrel was doing all the damage.

Hugh Curran, with Absolute Critter Removal of Port St. Lucie, says squirrels have been known to chew through car wires, but the car? "If they're looking to make a nest, chewing for them to find a cavity to make a nest, that's not unusual at all," said Curran.

The Zieglers have taken to calling the squirrel "Munchy". "I'm not happy to see my car like this but at least I didn't have any enemies, at least not people," said a relieved Nora.

Zeigler wants to get her car fixed, but wonders if she should wait, until Munchy has had his fill.